Skill set (28)
Kalina in a few words
Kalina is a seasoned IT Leader with over a decade of experience driving large-scale digital transformations for Fortune TOP 500 companies. She specializes in Agile transformations, Business Agility, Lean Transformation Coaching, and Strategic Program Management.
As an Enterprise Agile Coach, SAFe Practice Consultant, and dedicated SAFe and Design Thinking Trainer, Kalina excels in finding efficiency improvements in standard Agile methodologies and hybrid approaches. She is committed to helping businesses create meaningful products and solutions while nurturing sustainable teams. Kalina's experience in implementing Agile in traditional environments allows her to showcase tangible short-term wins and guide teams toward impactful outcomes rather than mere output.
With a proven track record in determining improvement strategies, she is keen on creating measurement domains at different organizational levels, focusing on business outcomes, flow, and business agility competency.
Kalina's coaching and training abilities have garnered exceptional feedback, with her multi-country Agile product delivery training programs receiving a Net Promoter Score of 90+. As a SAFe trainer, she consistently achieves outstanding ratings of 9+ out of 10 in her training courses. Additionally, she actively contributes to the field by serving as a lecturer at Software University in Bulgaria and participating as a speaker in various events in Sofia.
Her professional passion and interest lies in application of neuroscience to Agile transformations. She emphasizes human psychology and motivation, going beyond practices and metrics. She develops Agility Accelerator Packs tailored to each Agile maturity phase, providing adaptable templates and process configurations.
Fortune 500 Clients: Roche, Deutsche Bank, EON, Uniper, HP Inc., Adidas, Mettler Toledo
Experience
- Isystems GroupAgile CoachDIGITAL & ITJanuary 2020 - January 2023 (2 years and 12 months)Sofia, SF, Bulgaria- Led the successful development and execution of C-Level Agile Transformation boot camps, which created a transformative learning experience, empowering executives to drive organizational change- Launched Jira Project Management with a custom process, going beyond out of the box, resulting in improved transparency and cycle time; leading a team of a newly established Jira Administrators team- Spearheaded the creation of all templates, facilitation guides, and improvement processes within the newly launched Agile Project Management Office (APMO).- Provided expert guidance and mentorship to project teams, ensuring the timely and high-quality delivery of all initiatives.- Designed and implemented an end-to-end pre-sales process, revolutionizing the approach to customer engagement. This strategic initiative resulted in a substantial increase in deal closure rates. The revamped process ensured a seamless transition from pre-sales to delivery, establishing a solid foundation for long-term customer success.- Overhauled agile reporting and program predictability measurements, introducing a comprehensive and data-driven approach
- ScalefocusHead of Consultancy ServicesDIGITAL & ITApril 2020 - Today (4 years and 9 months)Sofia, SF, Bulgaria- Dynamic leader of a high-performing team of agile coaches, project managers, scrum masters, and product owners in the North American region, responsible for presales and successful delivery of all agile transformation and strategic programs.- Creator and owner of the E2E Discovery & Implementation blueprint, revolutionizing analysis, and implementation cycles by reducing them by 30%. This achievement significantly improved efficiency and customer satisfaction.- Spearheaded the development of an entire Lean Agile Service offering from scratch, enabling entry into the consultancy market segment in Q1, 2023. By the end of Q2, secured two major opportunities in the final negotiation phases, showcasing business acumen and market penetration capabilities.- Pioneered the establishment of the 1st Community of Practice dedicated to supporting agile maturity and adoption. Successfully launched subsequent communities, expanding their reach and impact, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.- Established and chaired the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE), serving as a driving force behind organizational agility and innovation. LACE has become a pivotal function, implementing best practices and driving continuous improvement.- Authored and developed comprehensive training programs for the Agile division in ScaleFocus Academy, resulting in upskilling the workforce and enhanced adoption of agile methodologies. The programs have been instrumental in driving organizational agility and fostering a culture of continuous learning.- Led all SAFe certification training, both internal and external, achieving an exceptional score of 9+ (out of 10) and a 92% exam pass rate.
- HP/HPE/DXCProgram Manager Strategic DealsDIGITAL & ITJanuary 2015 - April 2020 (5 years and 3 months)Sofia, SF, Bulgaria- Successfully managed and led large-scale IT consultancy projects, complex infrastructure, and applications programs for blue chip companies, including Fortune 250, with a Total Contract Value (TCV) of USD 205.8 million.- Demonstrated strong leadership skills by overseeing multiple high-performing, multi-cultural teams across geographies, resulting in a 62% cluster win rate (FY17).- Consistently delivered end-to-end program execution, from pre-sales to final implementation and release, ensuring successful project outcomes.- Played a key role in managing complex competitive bids, showcasing exceptional strategic thinking and negotiation skills.- Maintained a robust pipeline of USD 175 million, demonstrating effective project management and business development abilities.- Developed strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, earning a reputation for delivering high-quality solutions and exceeding expectations.- Demonstrated expertise in navigating EMEA North and Central markets, understanding their unique challenges and adapting strategies for success.- Proven ability to drive operational efficiency and optimize resources, resulting in cost savings and improved project profitability.- Received recognition for exceptional performance, consistently meeting or exceeding project goals and client satisfaction.- Continuously sought opportunities for professional growth and development, staying abreast of industry trends and best practices in program management.
Recommendations
Education
- MSc Business Management and TechnologyUniversity of Sheffield2014
- B.A. Business Administration and ManagementESEI Business School, Barcelona, Spain2010
Certifications
- SAFe Practice ConsultantScaled Agile Inc2020
- SAFe AgilistScaled Agile Inc2019
- PMI-ACPPMI2017
- PMPPMI2015